Vehicle terminal and location-based content sharing system having the same

ABSTRACT

A vehicle terminal installed in a vehicle and communicating with an external server, and a location-based content sharing system including the same are provided. The vehicle terminal includes a GPS receiving unit configured to receive location information regarding a location at which the vehicle is positioned, a wireless communication unit configured to receive information regarding a predetermined region and content corresponding to the predetermined region from the external server, a controller configured to determine whether the vehicle enters the predetermined region by using the location information, and reproduce the content corresponding to the predetermined region when the vehicle enters the predetermined region, and an output unit configured to output the reproduced content.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit ofearlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No.10-2013-0003040, filed on Jan. 10, 2013, the contents of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle terminal installed in avehicle and performing communication with an external server and alocation-based content sharing system including the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

A vehicle terminal may refer to a terminal installed in a vehicle.Vehicle terminals may include terminals used in a car navigation system,a vehicle television (TV), a telematics system, and the like. Vehicleterminals generally include a display device to provide required visualinformation to users.

As functions become more diversified, vehicle terminals can support morecomplicated functions such as capturing images or video, playing games,receiving broadcast signals, and the like, in addition to a navigationfunction or a function of reproducing music or video files. Bycomprehensively and collectively implementing such functions, vehicleterminals may be embodied in the form of a multimedia player or device.Also, in order to support and increase the functionality of vehicleterminals, software and hardware improvements, as well as changes andimprovements in the structural components which form vehicle terminalsmay be considered.

On the strength of such improvements, a location-based service may beadded to vehicle terminals. A location-based service refers to a servicethat transmits a user location to an external server and share relevantinformation by combining a global positioning system (GPS) installed ina vehicle terminal and a social networking service (SNS). Thelocation-based service may include a service that provides a locationand information between users (i.e., acquaintances) through vehicleterminals, a service that allows a user to search only informationwithin a few kilometer radius on the basis of a user location, and aservice that may search a store, a restaurant, and the like, around theuser and evaluate it, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a vehicle terminal capableof sharing content by using a location-based service, and alocation-based content sharing system including the same.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, thepresent disclosure provides in one aspect a vehicle terminal installedin a vehicle and communicating with an external server, including: a GPSreceiving unit configured to receive location information regarding alocation at which the vehicle is positioned; a wireless communicationunit configured to receive information regarding a predetermined regionand content corresponding to the predetermined region from the externalserver; a controller configured to determine whether the vehicle entersthe predetermined region by using the location information, andreproduce the content corresponding to the predetermined region when thevehicle enters the predetermined region; and an output unit configuredto output the reproduced content.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the output unitmay include a display unit that outputs a map, and the controller maymap at least one of a location in which the vehicle is positioned andthe predetermined region to the map, and output the same.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicleterminal may further include: a user input unit configured to sense auser input applied to the predetermined region mapped to the map,wherein when the user input is sensed, the controller may outputinformation regarding the content corresponding to the predeterminedregion to the display unit. In this case, the information regarding thecontent may include at least one of a title of the content, a commentregarding the content, information regarding a user who uploaded thecontent, and a date on which the content was uploaded.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when thepredetermined region is mapped to the map, the controller may output athumbnail image with respect to the content to a partial region of themap.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicleterminal may further include: a user input unit configured to receive acommand with respect to the reproduced content, wherein the controllermay transmit the input command to the external server such that theinput command may be shared.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the content may beat least one of a video, music, and a photograph.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, thepresent disclosure provides in another aspect a location-based contentsharing system including: an external server configured to store atleast one predetermined region and content corresponding to thepredetermined region as a location-based content log; and a vehicleterminal installed in a vehicle and configured to receive informationregarding the predetermined region, and receive and reproduce contentcorresponding to the predetermined region when the vehicle enters thepredetermined region.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicleterminal may transmit location information regarding a location in whichthe vehicle is located and content desired to be shared in the locationin which the vehicle is located, to the external server, and theexternal server may set a new region by using the location informationand add the new region and the content desired to be share to thelocation-based content log.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the externalserver may divide a plurality of vehicle terminals into groups, andseparately manage the location-based content log for each group. Also,the vehicle terminal may add, delete, or edit a group member of thegroup to which the vehicle terminal belongs, among the groups.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the externalserver may share the location-based content log with at least one socialnetworking service (SNS) set by a user.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when avehicle enters a predetermined region, content corresponding to thepredetermined region may be reproduced by a vehicle terminal, wherebythe content corresponding to the predetermined region may be sharedtogether with the predetermined region.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, since alocation-based content sharing system interworks with a navigationsystem of a vehicle, share content and a predetermined region in whichthe content is reproduced may be checked on a map.

Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred exemplary embodiments of theinvention, are given by illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings,which are given by illustration only, and thus are not limitative of thepresent disclosure, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a location-based contentsharing system including a vehicle terminal according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle terminal according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that reproduces (orplays) content when the vehicle terminal enters a predetermined regionaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that addslocation-based content log according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that outputsinformation regarding content corresponding to a predetermined areaaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that shares a commentwith respect to location-based content according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodimentsof the present disclosure are shown. As those skilled in the art wouldrealize, the described exemplary embodiments may be modified in variousdifferent ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of thepresent disclosure. To clarify the present disclosure, portionsirrespective of description are limited and like numbers refer to likeelements throughout the specification.

Vehicle terminals described in the present disclosure may refer to aterminal installed in a vehicle. For example, vehicle terminals mayinclude mobile phones, smart phones, notebook computers, digitalbroadcast receivers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portablemultimedia players (PMPs), navigation devices, and the like, that may bedetachably attached to a holder or a rest, as well as fixed types ofterminal installed in vehicles.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a location-based contentsharing system including a vehicle terminal according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the location-based content sharing system mayinclude an external server 200, a vehicle terminal 100, and alocation-based content log 300.

The external server 200 may refer to a server that stores and manageslocation-based content. The external server 200 may provide a serviceaccording to a request from the vehicle terminal 100 and maydistirbutedly process one or more application programs in a mutuallycooperative environment. For example, in a wireless Internetenvironment, information stored in the external server 100 may be usedby at least one vehicle terminal 100.

In particular, the external server 200 may set a predetermined region byusing an address and at least one of a latitude, a longitude, and analtitude, and store content corresponding to the predetermined region ina memory. For example, the external server 200 may set “Kwangandaegyo(Bridge), Minnak-dong, Sooyoung-gu, Busan” as a first region, and store“Movie Haewoondae” as content corresponding to the first region. Inanother example, the external server 200 may set a region with a1-kilometer radius on the basis of “Longitude: 129 degrees and 8 minutes45.5, Latitude: 35 degrees 10 minutes 46.76” as a second region andstore “Kwangandaegyo Bridge photograph taken in Sungbulsa” as contentcorresponding to the second region.

A plurality of predetermined regions may be set, and one or more contentitems corresponding to respective predetermined regions may be stored.The predetermined regions may be set in various manners. For example,when a location is specified by using a latitude and a longitude, aregion within a 1-kilometer radius may be set as a predetermined region.In another example, an administrative district (or a jurisdiction) suchas a particular city, town (eup), township (myeon), village (ri), andthe like, may be set as a predetermined region by using addressinformation such as “Jinyoung-eup, Kimhae-city, Kyungsangnam-do”. Inanother example, Route 1 belonging to Kyungki-do may be set as apredetermined region by using road information such as “Kyungki-do Route1”. A predetermined region may be implemented in various forms and thepresent disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described herein.

In this case, content may refer to digital information or contentsthereof provided through a wired/wireless communication network of theexternal server 200. For example, a video, music, a photograph, a game,a broadcast, a book, and the like, may be content. Content may be outputthrough a speaker, a display unit, and the like, of the vehicle terminal100.

In the present disclosure, a predetermined region and at least onecontent corresponding to the predetermined region may be named as alocation-based content log 300. The location-based content log 300 maybe added to the external server 200 in various manners. For example, aserver manager may add the location-based content log 300 or the vehicleterminal 100 registered to the external server 200 may add thelocation-based content log 300. Also, the location-based content log 300stored in the external server 200 may be deleted or edited by thevehicle terminal 100 which has created the log.

The external server 200 may transmit the at least one location-basedcontent log 300 stored in the memory to the at least one vehicleterminal 100 stored in a database. The eternal server 200 may transmitat least one of a predetermined region corresponding to thelocation-based content log 300 and content corresponding to thepredetermined region to the vehicle terminal 100.

The vehicle terminal 100 is installed in a vehicle and communicates withthe eternal server 200. In particular, the vehicle terminal 100 mayreceive the location-based content log 300 transmitted from the externalserver 200. The received location-based content log 300 may be stored inthe memory of the vehicle terminal 100.

Also, the vehicle terminal 100 may include a global positioning system(GPS) calculating location information of a vehicle in which the vehicleterminal 100 is installed. The vehicle terminal 100 may determinewhether the vehicle enters a predetermined region by using thecalculated location information. When the vehicle is determined to enterthe predetermined region according to the determination result, thevehicle terminal 100 may receive content corresponding to thepredetermined region and reproduce the same.

For example, as the location-based content log 300, “Kwangandaegyo(Bridge), Minnak-dong, Sooyoung-gu, Busan” may be set as a first regionand “Movie Haewoondae” may be stored as content corresponding to thefirst region. In this case, when the vehicle in which the vehicleterminal 100 is installed enters “Kwangandaegyo”, the vehicle terminal100 may reproduce “Movie Haewoondae” as the vehicle terminal 100 entersthe first region. Thus, a video of “Movie Haewoondae” may be output to adisplay unit and an audio (i.e., a sound) may be output by an audiooutput module.

In another example, as the location-based content log 300, “Area inwhich incidence rate of sleepy driver accidents is the highest” is setas a second region and “Siren music for shaking off sleepness” may bestored as a content corresponding to the second region. In this case,when the vehicle enters the second region, the vehicle terminal 100 mayreproduce the “Siren music for shaking off sleepness”.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, in thelocation-based content sharing system, when the vehicle enters apredetermined region, content corresponding to the predetermined regionmay be reproduced. Thus, location-based content may be shared betweenusers (i.e., acquaintances or friends). Namely, when a vehicle runs in aparticular location, content, which was registered by an acquaintancewhile passing by the location, may be shared. In this case, in that theuser shares content related to the particular location at the particularlocation, even sensitivity of an acquaintance, as well as content, maybe shared.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vehicle terminal according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the vehicle terminal 100 may include a wirelesscommunication unit 110, an output unit 120, a user input unit 130, amemory 140, a power supply unit 150, and a controller 160. FIG. 2 showsthe vehicle terminal as having various components, but it should beunderstood that implementing all of the illustrated components is not arequirement. Greater or fewer components may alternatively beimplemented.

Hereinafter, the elements 110 to 160 of the vehicle terminal 100 will bedescribed in detail as follows.

The wireless communication unit 110 typically includes one or moremodules allowing radio communication between the vehicle terminal 100and a wireless communication system or a network in which the vehicleterminal is located. For example, the wireless communication unit mayinclude at least one of a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobilecommunication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short-rangecommunication module 114, and a GPS receiving unit 115.

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and/orbroadcast associated information from an external broadcast managementserver (or other network entity) via a broadcast channel. The broadcastassociated information may refer to information associated with abroadcast channel, a broadcast program or a broadcast service provider.The broadcast associated information may also be provided via a mobilecommunication network and, in this case, the broadcast associatedinformation may be received by the mobile communication module 112. Thebroadcast signal and broadcast associated information received by thebroadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 140.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and/or receives radiosignals to and/or from at least one of a base station, an externalterminal and a server. Such radio signals may include a voice callsignal, a video call signal or various types of data according to textand/or multimedia message transmission and/or reception. Also, themobile communication module 112 may receive information regarding apredetermined region and content corresponding to the predeterminedregion from an external server.

The wireless Internet module 113 supports wireless Internet access forthe vehicle terminal. This module may be internally or externallycoupled to the vehicle terminal. The wireless Internet access techniqueimplemented may include a WLAN (Wireless LAN) (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wirelessbroadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA(High Speed Downlink Packet Access), or the like.

The short-range communication module 114 is a module for supportingshort range communications. Some examples of short-range communicationtechnology include Bluetooth™, Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID),Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-WideBand (UWB), ZigBee™, and thelike.

The GPS receiving unit 115 is a module for obtaining allocation of thevehicle terminal 100. A typical example of the GPS receiving unit 115may be a global positioning system (GPS). The GPS receiving unit 115 maycalculate location information of a vehicle in which the vehicleterminal 100 is installed.

The output unit 120 is configured to provide outputs in a visual,audible, and/or tactile manner (e.g., audio signal, video signal, alarmsignal, vibration signal, etc.). The output unit 120 may include thedisplay unit 121, an audio output module 122, and an alarm unit 123.

The display unit 121 may display (output) information processed in thevehicle terminal 100. For example, when the vehicle terminal 100 is in anavigation mode, the display unit 121 may display a user interface (UI)or a graphic user interface (GUI) associated with navigation. When thevehicle terminal 100 is in broadcast reception mode, the display unit121 may display a received image, a UI or GUI, and the like.

The display unit 121 may include at least one of a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a thin film transistor-LCD (TFT-LCD), an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) display, a flexible display, a three-dimensional(3D) display, and an e-ink display.

The display unit 121 may be configured as one or more display units, andin this case, the one or more display units may be configured to betransparent or light-transmissive to allow for viewing of the exterior,which may be called transparent displays. A typical transparent displaymay be, for example, a TOLED (Transparent Organic Light Emitting Diode)display, or the like. The display unit 121 may be configured as alight-transmissive display in front glass of a vehicle. Through suchconfiguration, a user can view an object positioned at a front side ofthe vehicle through a region occupied by the display unit 121 in thevehicle.

The vehicle terminal 100 may include two or more display units accordingto its particular desired embodiment. For example, a plurality ofdisplay units may be separately or integrally disposed on one surface ofthe vehicle terminal, or may be separately disposed on mutuallydifferent surfaces.

The display unit 121 may output a map according to a navigation mode.The display unit 121 may map location information of a vehiclecalculated by the GPS receiving unit 115. Besides, when a partial regionof the map output to the display unit 121 overlaps with a predeterminedregion, the display unit 121 may map the predetermined region to the mapby using a graphic object, or the like.

Here, mapping refers to outputting a graphic image or an object to apre-set position of a two-dimensional (2D) image or a three-dimensional(3D) image in an overlapping manner. For example, outputting of a newpop-up window to a map may be considered as mapping of the pop-up windowto the map. Here, an object refers to a graphic element such as anapplication icon, a widget, a thumbnail image, or the like.

The touch sensor may have a form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touchpad, and the like. The touch sensor may be configured to convertpressure applied to a particular portion of the display unit 121 or achange in the capacitance or the like generated at a particular portionof the display unit 121 into an electrical input signal. The touchsensor may be configured to detect the pressure when a touch is applied,as well as the touched position and area.

When a touch sensor and the display unit 121 are overlaid in a layeredmanner, the display unit 121 may function as both an input device and anoutput device. Such a display unit 121 may be called a ‘touch screen’.

When there is a touch input through the touch screen, a correspondingsignal (signals) is transmitted to a touch controller (not shown). Thetouch controller processes the signals and transmits corresponding datato the controller 160. Accordingly, the controller 160 may recognizewhich portion of the display unit 121 has been touched.

In case where the touch screen is the capacitance type, proximity of asensing object may be detected by a change in electric field accordingto the proximity of the sensing object. In this case, the touch screenmay be classified as a proximity sensor.

The audio output module 122 may convert and output as sound audio datareceived from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in thememory 140 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode, a record mode,a voice selection mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. Also,the audio output module 122 may provide audible outputs related to aparticular function performed by the vehicle terminal 100 (e.g., a callsignal reception sound, a message reception sound, navigation alarm,etc.). The audio output module 122 may include a receiver, a speaker, abuzzer, or the like.

The alarm unit 123 outputs a signal for informing about an occurrence ofan event of the vehicle terminal 100. Events generated in the vehicleterminal may include call signal reception, message reception, keysignal inputs, a touch input etc. In addition to video or audio signals,the alarm unit 123 may output a signal to inform about an occurrence ofan event, through vibrations. The video or audio signals may also beoutput via the display unit 121 or the audio output module 122, so thedisplay unit 121 and the audio output module 153 may be classified asparts of the alarm unit 123.

The user input unit 130 may generate input data from commands entered bya user to control various operations of the vehicle terminal. The userinput unit 130 may include a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad(resistive and capacitive), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.Also, the user input unit 130 may sense a touch input applied to atleast one predetermined region output to the display unit 121.

The memory 140 may store software programs used for the processing andcontrolling operations performed by the controller 180, or maytemporarily store data (e.g., a phonebook, messages, still images,video, etc.) that are inputted or outputted. In addition, the memory 140may store data regarding various patterns of vibrations and audiosignals outputted when a touch is inputted to the touch screen.

The memory 140 may include at least one type of storage medium includinga Flash memory, a hard disk, a multimedia card micro type, a card-typememory (e.g., SD or DX memory, etc), a Random Access Memory (RAM), aStatic Random Access Memory (SRAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), anElectrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), aProgrammable Read-Only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magneticdisk, and an optical disk. Also, the vehicle terminal 100 may beoperated in relation to a web storage device that performs the storagefunction of the memory 140 over the Internet.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power or internal power andsupplies appropriate power required for operating respective elementsand components under the control of the controller 180.

The controller 160 may control a general operation of the vehicleterminal 100. For example, the controller 160 may perform controllingand processing related to receiving a predetermined region, calculatinglocation information, determining whether a vehicle enters apredetermined region, and the like. In particular, the controller 160may store one or more predetermined regions received from the externalserver 200 in the memory 140. The controller 160 may determine whether avehicle enters at least one predetermined region by using locationinformation calculated by using the GPS receiving unit. When the vehicleenters the predetermined region, the controller 160 may reproducecontent corresponding to the predetermined region.

Various embodiments described herein may be implemented in acomputer-readable or its similar medium using, for example, software,hardware, or any combination thereof.

For hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may beimplemented by using at least one of application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signalprocessing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers,micro-controllers, microprocessors, electronic units designed to performthe functions described herein. In some cases, such embodiments may beimplemented by the controller 180 itself.

For software implementation, the embodiments such as procedures orfunctions described herein may be implemented by separate softwaremodules. Each software module may perform one or more functions oroperations described herein. Software codes can be implemented by asoftware application written in any suitable programming language. Thesoftware codes may be stored in the memory 140 and executed by thecontroller 180.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that reproduces contentwhen entering a predetermined region according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the vehicle terminal 100 may include the displayunit 121 that outputs a map. At least one of a location of the vehicleand a predetermined region may be mapped to a map and output to thedisplay unit 121. Referring to (a) of FIG. 3, it can be seen that alocation 170 of the vehicle and predetermined regions 302 to 308 aremapped in the map.

The map is information stored in the memory 140 and may be output ashaving a scale appropriate to a physical size of the display unit 121.The scale may be changed by a user input, and thus, an amount ofinformation of the map output to the display unit 121 may vary.

The controller 160 may calculate location information of the vehicle byusing the GPS receiving unit 115. The controller 160 may map thelocation 170 of the vehicle to the map by using the calculated locationinformation and output the same. The location 170 of the vehicle may bemapped to the map by various graphic objects. Accordingly, the user ofthe vehicle terminal 100 may ascertain the location of the vehicle inthe map.

The controller 160 may map at least one certain region received from theexternal server 200 to the map and output the same. Referring to (a) ofFIG. 3, it can be seen that predetermined regions 302 to 308 are mappedto the map by icons having a text balloon. The predetermined regions mayalso be mapped to the map by various graphic objects, like the location170 of the vehicle. For example, in a case in which “Kyungki-do Route 1”is set as a predetermined region, the corresponding region may be outputto have a color differentiated from other regions.

As well as displaying the predetermined region such that it isdifferentiated from other regions, information including alocation-based content log may be displayed together. Namely, varioustypes of including a location-based content log may be mapped to the mapin a predetermined region.

For example, the location-based content log may further includeinformation regarding a person who has created a log, information suchas a Web site interworking with the external server 200, and the like,as well as information related to content corresponding to apredetermined region. A Web site may be a social networking service(SNS) or a blog.

While the map is being output, the vehicle with the vehicle terminal 100installed therein may enter the predetermined region 304. Here, thecontroller 160 may determine whether the vehicle enters thepredetermined region by using a location-based content log received fromthe external server 200 and location information of the vehiclecalculated by the GPS receiving unit 115.

When the vehicle enters the predetermined region 304, the controller 160may receive content corresponding to the predetermined region 304 fromthe external server 200 and reproduce the same. Referring to (a) of FIG.3, it can be seen that the vehicle enters the predetermined region 304.Also, referring to (b) of FIG. 3, it can be seen that music 400“Whatever” is reproduced (or played) as content corresponding to thepredetermined region 304.

In reproducing the content, the controller 160 may output the content byusing at least one configuration 121 to 123 constituting the output unit150. In this case, the controller 160 may output at least one of a titleof the reproduced content, a comment with respect to the reproducedcontent, information regarding a user who has uploaded the reproducedcontent, and a date on which the reproduced content was uploaded, to thedisplay unit 121.

Also, the controller 160 may output an icon 410 formed to add thereproduced content to a content box (e.g., a music list) to the displayunit 121. For example, when a user input applied to the icon 410 issensed, the controller 160 may execute a content purchase mode in whichthe reproduced content may be purchased, or may download a data file ofthe reproduced content and store the same in the memory 140. This isbecause content may correspond to a creative work.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating the vehicle terminal of addinga location-based content log according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, the vehicle terminal 100 according to the presentexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a displayunit 121. Also, location information of a vehicle calculated by the GPSreceiving unit 115 may be mapped to a map.

In this case, an icon 424 for adding a location-based content log may beoutput to the display unit 121. For example, when the display unit 121operates as a touch screen, a mode for adding the location-based contentlog may be executed on the basis of a user's touch input. In anotherexample, the icon 424 for adding a location-based content log may beselected by a separately provided user input unit.

For example, in a case in which the user of the vehicle terminal 100wants to share a song “Busan seagull” that he or she has heard whilepassing by “Kwangandaegyo (Bridge)” with acquaintances, the user mayexecute the mode for adding the location-based content log.

When the mode for adding the location-based content log is executed, forexample, information 426 regarding content, which is being reproducedand output (e.g., audio) in the vehicle terminal 100, may be output tothe display unit 121. In another example, some of content items storedin the memory 140 of the vehicle terminal 100 may be output to thedisplay unit 121 and the user may select content desired to be shared.In another example, at least one content desired to be shared may bereceived from terminals that perform short-range communication with thevehicle terminal 100, and information 426 regarding the received contentmay be output. In another example, a search word of content desired tobe shared may be received, content may be searched in a Web site byusing the search word, and information 426 regarding at least onesearched content may be output.

Next, when at least one content desired to be shared is selectedaccording to a user input, the controller 160 may transmit information422 regarding a location in which the vehicle is positioned and contentdesired to be shared in the location in which the vehicle is positionedto the external server 200. When the external server 200 receives theinformation from the vehicle terminal 100, the external server 200 mayset a new region by using the location information 422 and add the newregion and the content desired to be shared to a location-based contentlog 418. Accordingly, the new location-based content log 418 may beregistered to the external server 200.

Here, information regarding a creator (i.e., a writer or a generator) ofthe location-based content log may be mapped as a graphic object to themap and output. For example, an image of the creator, a name of thecreator, a nickname of the creator, a vehicle number of the vehicle inwhich the vehicle terminal 100 is installed, a contact number of thecreator, and the like, may be output as information of the creator.

Although not shown, the vehicle terminal 100 may set a sharing target ofthe newly registered location-based content log. For example, all thevehicle terminals included in a pre-set group may share the newlyregistered location-based content log. In another example, at least someof the vehicle terminals included in the pre-set group may be selected,and the selected vehicle terminals may share the newly registeredlocation-based content log. In this case, the pre-set group may bemanaged by the external server 200.

Also, the newly registered location-based content log may be shared withat least one social networking service (SNS). When the newlocation-based content log is added by the vehicle terminal 100, theexternal server 200 may upload information a predetermined region andinformation regarding content corresponding to the predetermined regionto a pre-set SNS.

In this manner, by sharing content reproduced at a particular location,what a user felt at the particular location may also be shared. Also,since the location-based content log is uploaded by interworking withthe SNS, information regarding the fact that the location-based contentlog has been newly added may be provided to acquaintances.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the vehicle terminal that outputsinformation regarding content corresponding to a predetermined regionaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the vehicle terminal 100 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure may include the display unit 121.At least one of a location of a vehicle and a predetermined region maybe mapped to a map and output to the display unit 121. Referring to (a)of FIG. 5, it can be seen that a location 170 of a vehicle andpredetermined regions are mapped.

In this case, regardless of whether the vehicle enters a predeterminedregion, the vehicle terminal 100 may include the user input unit 130 forsensing a user input applied to the predetermined region output to thedisplay unit 121.

Referring to (b) of FIG. 5, when a user input applied to a predeterminedregion is sensed by the user input unit 130, the controller 160 mayoutput information 432 regarding content corresponding to thepredetermined region to the display unit 121. In this case, theinformation 432 regarding the content may include at least one of a nameof the content, a comment regarding the content, information regarding auser who has uploaded the content, and date on which the content wasuploaded.

The comment regarding the content is a description regarding the contentexpressed by the creator of the location-based content log, whichincludes a description of contents of the content, a feeling desired tobe shared together with the content, a fact, and the like.

Even though the vehicle in which the vehicle terminal 100 is installeddoes not enter a predetermined region, the predetermined region may beselected, and content corresponding to the predetermined region may bereproduced by using a reproduction icon 434 regarding the contentcorresponding to the predetermined region. Accordingly, the user of thevehicle terminal 100 may check at least one shared location-basedcontent log and reproduce (or play) the corresponding content.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a vehicle terminal that shares a commentwith respect to location-based content according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6, as the vehicle with the vehicle terminal installedtherein enters a predetermined region, content corresponding to thepredetermined region may be reproduced. In this case, thumbnail imageswith respect to the content may be output to a partial region of a map.

Also, information regarding the content may include at least one commentwith respect to the content. The comment, which is created by vehicleterminals that share the location-based content log, may be a shortcomment in response to the location-based content log.

In order to create such a comment, the user input unit 130 of thevehicle terminal 100 may be formed to receive a command with respect tocontent. The controller 160 may transmit the comment input by the userinput unit 130 to the external server 200 by using the wirelesscommunication unit 110. The external server 200 may store the receivedcomment and manage such that the vehicle terminals that share thelocation-based content log check the comment.

Although not shown, the external server 200 may divide a plurality ofvehicle terminals into groups and separately manage the location-basedcontent log for each group. For example, it may be assumed that, amongvehicle terminals “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” registered to the externalserver 200, “A”, “B”, and “C” may be classified as a first group and “D”and “E” may be classified as a second group. In this case, alocation-based content log generated by the vehicle terminal “B” may beshared only by vehicle terminals belonging to the first group.Similarly, a location-based content log generated by the vehicleterminal “D” may be shared only by the vehicle terminals belonging tothe second group.

Also, the vehicle terminal 100 may add a group member of the group towhich the vehicle terminal 100 belongs, delete a group member from thegroup, or edit a group member, among the groups managed by the externalserver 200. For example, among the vehicle terminals “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”,and “E”, the vehicle terminal “A′ may add the vehicle terminal “D” tothe first group. In this case, the vehicle terminal “D” may belong toboth the first and second groups. In another example, the vehicleterminal “A” may register a new vehicle terminal “F”, which has not beenregistered to the external server 200, to the external server 200 andadd the vehicle terminal “F” to the first group.

As described above, according to exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure, when a vehicle in which a vehicle terminal is installedenters a predetermined region, content corresponding to thepredetermined region may be reproduced by the vehicle terminal, wherebythe content corresponding to the predetermined region may be sharedtogether with the predetermined region by different vehicle terminals.Because even content related to a particular location is shared in theparticular location, rather than simply sharing content, sensitivity ofthe users may also be shared.

As the exemplary embodiments may be implemented in several forms withoutdeparting from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understoodthat the above-described exemplary embodiments are not limited by any ofthe details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified,but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined inthe appended claims. Therefore, various changes and modifications thatfall within the scope of the claims, or equivalents of such scope aretherefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle terminal installed in a vehicle andcommunicating with an external server, the vehicle terminal comprising:a GPS receiving unit configured to receive location informationregarding a location at which the vehicle is positioned; a wirelesscommunication unit configured to receive information regarding apredetermined region and content corresponding to the predeterminedregion from the external server; a controller configured to determinewhether the vehicle enters the predetermined region by using thelocation information, and reproduce the content corresponding to thepredetermined region when the vehicle enters the predetermined region;and an output unit configured to output the reproduced content.
 2. Thevehicle terminal of claim 1, wherein the output unit comprises a displayunit that outputs a map, and the controller maps at least one of alocation in which the vehicle is positioned and the predetermined regionto the map, and output the same.
 3. The vehicle terminal of claim 2,further comprising: a user input unit configured to sense a user inputapplied to the predetermined region mapped to the map, wherein when theuser input is sensed, the controller outputs information regarding thecontent corresponding to the predetermined region to the display unit.4. The vehicle terminal of claim 3, wherein the information regardingthe content comprises at least one of a title of the content, a commentregarding the content, information regarding a user who uploaded thecontent, and a date on which the content was uploaded.
 5. The vehicleterminal of claim 2, wherein when the predetermined region is mapped tothe map, the controller outputs a thumbnail image with respect to thecontent to a partial region of the map.
 6. The vehicle terminal of claim1, further comprising: a user input unit configured to receive a commandwith respect to the reproduced content, wherein the controller transmitsthe input command to the external server such that the input command isshared.
 7. The vehicle terminal of claim 1, wherein the content is atleast one of a video, music, and a photograph.
 8. A location-basedcontent sharing system comprising: an external server configured tostore at least one predetermined region and content corresponding to thepredetermined region as a location-based content log; and a vehicleterminal installed in a vehicle and configured to receive informationregarding the predetermined region, and receive and reproduce contentcorresponding to the predetermined region when the vehicle enters thepredetermined region.
 9. The location-based content sharing system ofclaim 8, wherein the vehicle terminal transmits location informationregarding a location in which the vehicle is located and content desiredto be shared in the location in which the vehicle is located, to theexternal server, and the external server sets a new region by using thelocation information and adds the new region and the content desired tobe share to the location-based content log.
 10. The location-basedcontent sharing system of claim 9, wherein the external server divides aplurality of vehicle terminals into groups, and separately manages thelocation-based content log for each group.
 11. The location-basedcontent sharing system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle terminal adds,deletes, or edits a group member of the group to which the vehicleterminal belongs, among the groups.
 12. The location-based contentsharing system of claim 9, wherein the external server shares thelocation-based content log with at least one social networking service(SNS) set by a user.